Salvation Army sets goal at $90K for annual fundraising drive

Wednesday morning, the day before countless Thanksgiving feasts and spreads, the Salvation Army’s Food Pantry did not open.

Normally open three days a week, the pantry wasn’t closed early for the Thanksgiving holiday, instead, it was closed because it had no food to offer for those in hunger.

That was the message, accompanied by a plea, from Salvation Army Lt. Brian Bump as he and his wife Melissa kicked off the annual Red Kettle fundraising campaign Tuesday in Kirksville.

Bump said while long-term food arrangements are reliable, a sudden rush and demand before Thanksgiving wiped the pantry of its supplies.

So, while the pantry will receive a food delivery from the Food Bank for Central and Northeast Missouri on Monday, it’s shelves will remain bare through Thanksgiving.

“Our food supplies are dangerously low,” Bump said, after setting up the first red kettle outside of the Salvation Army’s thrift store on south Baltimore Street.He said the church’s founder sought to feed the belly and administer to the soul, two missions that go hand in hand.

With the kick off of the Red Kettle campaign, the Salvation Army is hoping to collect $90,000, a total that will go to supporting about three-fourths of the local entity’s annual operating costs.

Last year, the local community donated $92,602, surpassing the goal of $85,000.Already, the bell ringers were present at several locations across Kirksville, ringing their bells and offering a greeting and thanks.

Bump said he is optimistic for the campaign, his first in Kirksville and his first as a Salvation Army officer.

"Seeing the donations already coming in, we’ve got a very good feeling,” he said.Bump did make a plea for non-perishable food donations to help re-stock the bare pantry and also for volunteers to sign up as bell-ringers.

The bell-ringers and the Red Kettle campaign go to support the local Salvation Army’s efforts like the food pantry, which provides food for more than 700 area residents a month, as well as rental and utility assistance.

“It supports and helps many of the services the Salvation Army has become known for,” Bump said.

Bell-ringers will be on hand at several area locations, including JCPenney, Wal-Greens, Westlake Hardware, Hy-vee and Wal-Mart from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday up to noon on Christmas Eve.

The Salvation Army is also taking food donations at its office location at 1004 W. Gardner St.